No reason for Pak to worry about Indo-Afghan partnership: US

No reason for Pak to worry about Indo-Afghan partnership: US

Welcoming the strategic partnership agreement between India and Afghanistan, the United States on Wednesday asserted that there was no reason for uneasiness or apprehension by Pakistan's leadership on this.

"It should not been seen as a zero-sum game," a US State Department official said, when asked about the possible implication in Pakistan of India-Afghanistan strategic partnership, announced in New Delhi a day earlier, particularly at a time when there is simmering tension in the US-Pakistan relationship.

Click NEXT to read further...

Image: Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai speaks with the media as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh watches after signing a joint statement at Hyderabad House in New DelhiPhotographs: Reuters

'It's not a zero-sum game'

"We got a common goal there (in Afghanistan) which is peaceful, stable and an increasingly democratic country which everybody would be able to benefit from peace and security so it is not a zero-sum game," the official said requesting anonymity as the official was authorised to speak to the media on this issue.

Earlier in the day, the US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, welcomed the reports of strategic partnership between India and Afghanistan which was announced during the Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's visit to New Delhi.

Image: Foreign Minister SM Krishna speaks with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai during their meeting in New DelhiPhotographs: Reuters

'India to participate in the new Silk Road initiative'

"I would first say that we are seeing the same reports that you are that India and Afghanistan will soon announce a strategic partnership that India is going to participate in the new Silk Road initiative. Those are both things that we very much welcome," Nuland told reporters.

The spokesperson also welcomed the recent commerce ministers' talks between India and Pakistan.

"We support any and all warming between Pakistan and India. We have been strong supporters of the dialogues that the two governments have been having," she said.

Image: Karzai and Dr Singh exchange documents after signing a joint statement at Hyderabad House in New DelhiPhotographs: Reuters